Simultaneously adjustable pinch rolls for feeding endless strips



Jan. 27, 1959 L. L. HERCIK SIMULTANEOUSLY ADJUSTABLE PINCH ROLLS FOR Filed June 13, 1955 FEEDING ENDLESS STRIPS 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR A40 1.. fiewc/k r rafiMs'yJ Jan. 27, 1959 1.. HERCIK SIMULTANEOUSLY ADJUSTABLE PINCH ROLLS FOR FEEDING ENDLESS STRIPS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 13, 1955 INVENTOR. 4/70 A. mswc/K Jan. 27, 1959' HERCIK 2,871,011

L. L. SIMULTANEOUSLY ADJUSTABLE PINCH ROLLS FOR FEEDING ENDLESS STRIPS Filed June 13, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR.

Jan. 27, 1959 Filed June 15, 1955 L. HERCIK 2,871,011 SIMULTANEOUSLY ADJUSTABLE PINCH ROLLS FOR FEEDING ENDLESS STRIPS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. A40 1.. firms/K SIMULTANEOUSLY ADJUSTABLE PINCH ROLLS FOR FEEDING ENDLESS STRIPS Lad L. Hercik, Lakewood, Ohio Application June 13, 1955, Serial No. 515,034 13 Claims (01. 271-244 This invention relates to machines for feeding endless nstrip material and more particularly to a machine employing novel simultaneously adjustable pinch rolls for this purpose.

proved apparatus of this character having a plurality of opposed pairs of pinch rolls, each roll having a cylindrical ,portion and a frusto-conical rim on said cylindrical portion which cooperates with the frusto-conical rim of the corresponding associated pinch roll to engage, and ad- 'vance an. endlessstrip.

A further object of this invention is toprovide an :improved apparatus of this character wherein a plurality of cooperating pairs of edge-engaging members having :frusto-conical portions arearranged to operate on the opposite edges of an endless strip by moving the edgeengaging members simultaneously laterally toward each other until the outermost edges of the strip are firmly .gripped between the frus to-conical portions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a machine for feeding endless strip characten'zedby its :structural simplicity, the ease of assembly of its parts, its strong and sturdy nature and its low manufacturing cost. Other features of this invention reside in the arrangement and design of the parts for carrying out their appropriate functions.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be :apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following description and the essential features will be set :forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an apparatus employing my novel simultaneously adjustable pinch rolls.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the device of Fig. 1 taken at the left-hand end thereof and showing the details of construction of the driving and adjusting means used in connection with the pinch rolls.

Fig. 2a is a cross sectional view taken along the plane of line 2a2a of Fig. 2.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the plane of line 3-3 of Fig. 2. j t

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the plane :of line 4-4 of Fig. 1. l

The present invention is directed to the feeding of endless strips for grinding and polishing purposes and particularly to a situation wherein the surface of the strip (other than at the very edge) must be freely suspended without touching any other surface. This type of handling 'is normally required of zinc plates which are used for etched printing plates and other sheets which must be 2,871 ,01 1 Patented Jam 27,.

. 2 given a very fine polish approaching that of a mirror. This procedure also applies to laminated sheets which are steel on one side and white metal on the other side and used in certain types of bearings whereinthe' white metal portion must not be all-owed to touch any surface. The present. invention is particularly useful in handling such endless strips since only the extreme outer edges of the strip comeinto contact with the strip feeding means. The

feeding means herein employed take the form of pinch rolls which are moved simultaneously laterally toward each other until they just grip the extreme edges of the strips to be fed.

As seen in Figs. 1 and 2 a base frame 10 supports a pair of spaced standards 11 in which are mounted suitable bearing boxes 12. The bearing boxes 12 support pairs of front and rear splined shafts 13,, fron meaning to the right and rear to the left, as viewed in Fig. 2. The splined shafts 13 extend transversely between the standards 11 and have their opposite ends journalled for rotation within suitable bearings 14 contained in the bearing boxes 12. The splined shafts 13 are all disposed parallel to one anotherand the individual shafts of each of the front and rearpairs respectively are positioned one vertically above the other. Upper and lower shafts of the front and rear pairs of shafts are generally in horizontal alignment with one another. For the purpose of rotating the shafts 13, one end of each shaft, preferably the left end, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3,. is provided with a sprocket driving gear 15. An endless sprocket chain 30 ;16 engages each of the driving gears 15 and simultaneously drives each shaft 13 in the proper direction. The endless sprocket chain 16 is so interconnected between the various shafts and driving gears as to drive the shafts of each vertical pair in opposite directions. For example, as viewed in Fig. 2, the lower shafts are driven in a counterclockwise direction While the upper shafts are driven in a clockwise direction as indicated by the arrows 17 and 18 respectively. As seen in Fig. 2, a pair of idler sprockets 19 are provided to take up the slack in the endless sprocketchain 16. One of the shafts 13 has an extended portion 20 at its right end, as seenin Fig. 1, which is connected to suitable power meansnot herein shown. Through this particular shaft the power means transmits a driving force to each of the other shafts by means of the endless sprocket chain 16 and sprocket gears 15. i

Eachshaft 13 is splined with longitudinally extending splined grooves 13a. A pair of opposed generally cylin- (11103.1 pinch rolls 21 are mounted in spaced relationship on each shaft and have splines 21a in engagement with the grooves 13a. The pinch rolls 21, therefore, must rotate with the shaft 13, but the rolls may slide axially along the shaft in driving engagement with the grooves 13a thereof. The spaced pinch rolls 21 provided oneach shaft 13 coop'eratewith the pinch rolls similarly positioned on the shaft vertically above or below to form PPDSed front and rear sets of pinch rolls, one set of two being shown in Fig. 4. The individual pinch rolls 21 are generally cylindrical in configuration. The main cylindrical body portion of each roll is provided with a cut-out portion at its outer end to receive a sleeve 22. The sleeve 22 is inserted terial being used. The radially outermost edge of 'the frusto-conical rim 22a is in light contact with the frustoconical rim of its associated pair, as seen in Fig. .3; thus providing a V-shaped space 25 opening axially inwardly between each vertically disposed pair of adjacent rolls. This space is used to accommodate endless strip material by lightly wedging the opposed edges of the strip within the V-shaped space, as seen in Fig. 3.

For the purpose of properly aligning each of the opposed sets of pinch rolls with the edges of the endless strip, a plurality of support plates are provided at both ends of the pinch rolls and extend perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the shafts 13. As seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a pair of suitable support plates are provided at :the laterally outermost ends of the pinch rolls. Coplanar vertically spaced support plates 28 and 29 are provided at the inner ends of the pinch rolls, as best seen in Figs. 3 and 4. Two of these plates are required .at the innermost end of each set of opposed pinch rolls in :orderto provide a space 3t) therebetween to accommodate the endless strip of material, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4. Each of the pinch rolls 21 has its end portions suitably supported by thrust bearings 21b for free rotation between the support plates, as shown in Fig. 4.

Means are provided for laterally moving the opposed pairs of pinch rolls contained within the support plates laterally toward and away from one another along the length of splinedshafts 13. Such means include an adjusting screw shaft 31 rotatably supported in the spaced standards 11 and held in place by collar 31:1. The screw shaft 31 is-positioned between the front and rear pairs of pinch rolls and lies in substantially the same plane as the uppermost splined shafts 13. Spaced nuts 32 having shoulders 32a engaging between plates 27 and 23 are threaded to receive the screw shaft 31, as seen in Figs. 1 and .4. Other collars 32 have shoulders 32a engaging between plates 27 and 29 as seen in Fig. 4 to moveall rolls in unison. Thesecollars 32 slide on cylindrical shaft 31, directly below and parallel to shaft 31, and held in standards 11. Opposite halves of the screw shaft 31 are provided with opposed right and left-hand threads 31a and 31b, as seen in Fig. 1. The end of the shaft is provided with a tool receiving portion 316, see Fig. 3, for the purpose of rotating the shaft. The shaft is adapted to turn within its end bearings contained in the spaced stadnards 11 so that the screw shaft is maintained against axialdisplacement. Thus, it will be seen that when the screw shaft 31 is turned in one direction, the opposed sets of pinch rolls are moved simultaneously toward or away from each other (depending upon the direction in which the screw shaft is turned) by means of the threaded engagement between the screw shaft 31 and the nuts 32. The effect of this construction is to enable positioning the opposed sets of pinch rolls in any desired spaced apart relationship to accommodate any width of endless strip. Means are also provided for the purpose of vertically adjusting the front and rear pairs of pinch rolls. For

this purpose I provide a substantially square cage or frame member 34 having top and bottom members 34a and 34b respectively and side members 340 and 34d respectively, as seen in Fig. 2. The side members 34c and 34d are provided with suitable grooves which receive guideways 33 provided on the standards 11 and thereby permit a limited amount of vertical movement for the cage member. The bearing boxes 12 of each pair of front and rear pinch rolls are supported within the cage member 34 in such a manner as to permit a limited degree of vertical movement withintho cage member. In Fig. 2, it is seen that the front ans. rear pairs of bearing boxes are supported at their side edges by four, spaced, vertically extending guide pins 35 provided on the cage member 34. Each guide pin 35 is provided with spaced half round sections 36 intermediate its distal ends. The end and central portions of eachguide pin are annular in cross section.

. The annular end portions are jouralled for rotation in the top and bottom cage members 34a and 34b. The upper end of each guide pin is provided with a square wrench receiving head, for purposes of manually rotating the pin. As seen in Figs. 2 and 2A the half round sections 36 of each guide pin are in engagement with suitable grooves provided in the side edges of the associated bearing boxes 12. The laterally outermost edges of the bearing boxes 12 are so constructed as to terminate short of the center lines of the associated guide pins. Each bearing box is also provided with suitable corner cut-outs 12b to clear the annular central portion of each guide pin. By rotating the guide pins through 180 from their position shown in Figs. 2 and 2A the side edges of bearing boxes 12 are completely released and then permit the boxes 12 to be removed endwise. Aligned apertures are provided in the upper member 34a and each guide pin 35 to receive a suitable pin 37 which locks the guide pin against rotation during use. As seen in Fig. 3, the upper and lower bearing boxes rest one upon the other in such a manner that the radially outermost surface of the raised frusto-conical -rim 22a of each pair of pinch rolls is so positioned as to lightly touch that of its associated pair. The lower surface of each of the bottom bearing boxes rests upon the head of an adjustable bolt 40 which threadedly engages the lower member 34b of the cage member 34. The upper surface of the top bearing boxes are provided with a suitable bore 12a to receive a Danly coil spring 41 which is pressure loaded by means of a bolt 42.which threadedly engages the upper member 34a of the cage member 34 at 43. By spring loading the top bearing boxes, the pinch rollers are protected against a sudden change in the thickness of the endless strip passing between the pinch rollers 21. Through this construction the rollers may be moved apart slightly to accommodate for any variation in thickness in the endless strip, should this occur without injuring the pinch rolls or the strip. The degree of spring loading is controlled by adjustable bolts 42 and 4D. This novel construction also permits vertical adjustment of the front and rear pairs of bearing boxes and their associated pinch rolls, relative to one another.

For the purpose of raising or lowering the front and rear pairs of pinch rollers simultaneously, the upper ends of the spaced standards 11 carry a shaft 44 Which is journalled in bearings 45 contained therein and provided, at each standard11,.w;ith worm gear segment 46, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3 which rotates a worm gear 47 having an internally threaded hub 48 which when rotated acts as a nut to impart vertical movement to a threaded vertically disposed shaft 50 engaging hub 48, and which is rigidly secured at its lower end to the upper member 3441- of cage member 3.4 by pin 51. The shaft 44 is provided with a tool receiving portion 52. By rotating the shaft 44 the worm gear segments 46 are adapted to impart angular movement to the worm gears 47, each of which is rotatably supported against axial, movement on bearing surface 53 of its associated standard 11. Angular movement in the worm gear is in turn transformed into axial movement of vertically. disposed shafts 50, which in turn causes the square .cage members 34, at opposite ends, to be raised and lowered according to the degree of rotation of the shaft 44. It will now be understood that vertical movement of the cage member 34 causes the front and rear pairs of bearingboxes and their associated pinch rolls to-;be raised or lowered simultaneously.

It should be noted that means for vertically adjusting the pair of idler sheaves is-also provided. Such adjustment means comprises a bracket 55 having its side portions slidably engaging the spaced guideways 36 and 36 to permit the idler sheaves to be moved upward or downward so as toincrease or decrease the tension on sprocket chain 16. Bolt 56 threadedly engages the bracket 55 and has its lower end supported by a coil spring 57 which is supported on bracket 58 located a distance below bracketSS. The coil spring exerts an adjustable spring'load upon the'bracketSS through bolt 56 and thereby provides an additional safety feature against sudden overloading of the sprocket chain 16. t

The operationof the device should'now be apparent. In the handling of endless strip material wherein the. surfaceof the'strip (other than at the very edge) must not touch any other surface the end of the strip is first introduced into the space 30 between the opposed front sets of upperand lower pinehrollers. By rotating the shaft 44 the. opposed front and rear pairs of pinch rollers will be moved simultaneously toward each other so as to bring the frusto-eonical rim portions 22a of opposed pairs of pinch rolls' simultaneously toward each other until they just grip the extreme outer edges of the endless strip to be fed. The edges of the endless strip enter the V-shaped spaee25 and become lightly wedged between rims 22a. Thus, as soon as there is suificient friction between the frusto-conieal rim portions 22a of the pinch rolls and the edges of the endless strip, to move the strip forward by rotation of the pinch rolls, the movement of the opposed pairs of pinch rolls laterally toward each other is stopped. This adjustment can be made while rolls are turning. When the edges of the endless strip are wedgingly engaged betweenithe adjacent frusto-eonical rim portions 22a, the remainder of the endless strip surface is raised slightly 01f the surface of the cylindrical pinch rolls, as seen in dot-dash lines at58 in Fig. 3.

It should now be readily apparent that the structure: and mode of operation may be conveniently described in another manner. There has been disclosed herein a machine forfeeding endless strip, comprising frame 10, parallel shafts 13 and 13 between which the strip passes; pair of opposed rolls 21 on each shaft 13; each roll 21 having frusto-eonieal strip edge engaging portion 22a; and connecting means operatively connecting togethersaid rolls 21, said shafts 13 and said frame withthe opposed roll pairs 21 being positioned at opposite sides of said endless strip; said connecting means including a driving means, comprising gears 15, sprockets 19, chain 16, etc. through splines 21a and grooves 13a for simultaneously rotating all of said rolls 21 and said shafts 13 as bearing blocks 12 maintain proper shaftspaeing for chain 16; said connecting means ineluding adjusting means, comprisingshaft 31, nuts 32, plates 27 and 28, etc. forsir nultaneously moving said frusto-eonieal strip edge engageable portions 22a axially along said shafts 13 and along grooves 13a and splines 21a relative to said frame 10 into strip edge engagements during roll driving rotation, said adjustable means including adjustable screw shaft 31 fixed against axial movements relative to said frame 10 and having its axis laterally spaced from said roll shafts 13; said eonnecting means including a keyed connection between each roll 21 and its associated shaft 13, comprising spline 21a and groove 13a, permitting relative axial movement therebetween but preventing relative rotational movement therebetween; said connecting means including means for simultaneously moving all of said shafts 13 relative to said frame 10 in a direction transverse to said roll shafts 13 with this last mentioned means including bearing boxes 12, bolts 42 and 43, guide pins 35, half round sections 36, plates 27 and 28, etc. These-called connecting means operatively conneeting the rolls 21, shafts 13 and frame 10 for proper strip engagement includes the afore-recited members and portions 12, 13a, 15, 16, 19, 21a, 27, 28, 31, 32, 35, 36,42 and 43 with bearing blocks 12, grooves 13a, splines 21a, and plates 27 and 28, each playing a part in the operation ofmore than one of the different means recited,

Wheneertain materials suehas zinc; strip is, fed, the lower pinch rolls are serrated to give a better grip. When feeding material such as steel it is preferable not to use serrations since it is likelyto cause burrs on the steel. to either one of these particular provisions. Through the provision of opposed sets of simultaneously adjustable pinch rolls, it becomes possible to quickly and easily accommodate various widths of endless strip. Without the present invention, it is a tremendously long and tedious job to set each of the pinch rolls individually as was. required with. prior devices. It will be understood; that normally a plurality of sets of pinch rolls are .used at spaced distances along the path traveled by an endless strip. In certain situations there are as many as. nineteen machines in a row, having a total of sixteen or more pinch rolls per machine, each of which must be loosened and adjusted to engage the edge of the endless strip by means of two set screws. This is a tremendously complicated job to try to adjust all of these pinch rolls with suitable clearance between them. The situation is even more complicated when the endless strips vary slightly in overall width. I have over come these shortcomings by providing means for simultaneously moving opposed Sets of I pinch rolls toward each other in such a manner as to automatically engage the sideedges of the endless strip upon contact.

In view of the foregoing description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operafully comprehended by the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent isi a p t 1. A machine for feeding endless strip comprising in combination pairs of opposed rolls rotatably supported with each pair about a horizontal axis, said pairs of opposed rolls being positioned respectively at opposite sides ofsaid endless strip, a housin supporting means for supporting a plurality of horizontal guide shafts on said housing, said guide shafts extending transversely across the direction of strip travel, frame means supported on said guide shafts on opposite sides of said endless strip, said pairs of rolls rotatable relative to operatingto engage the edges of said endless strip as said opposed pairs of rolls are moved laterally toward one another to provide the sole means for supporting said strip during feeding, said shaft supporting means rotatably supporting opposite ends of said guide shafts and ineluding means for simultaneously raising and lowering said guide shafts.

2. A machine for. feeding endless strip material comprising a pair of horizontally disposed rolls, support maens. for rotatably mounting said rolls including guide shafts for rotating and guiding said rolls, each of said rolls having a cylindrical portion, strip edge engaging means on said pair of rolls adapted to engage the side edges of said endless strip for strip feeding and providing the sole means for supporting said strip; said support means including means for moving said rolls axially toward said endless strip into strip feeding relationship simultaneously was: roll rotation, means for rotatably It is not my intention, however to limit myself" supporting opposite ends of-said-guide shafts and means for simultaneously raising and lowering said guide shafts. 3. A machine for feeding endless strip comprising pairs of cooperating pinch rolls, means mounting said pairs of pinch rolls along both sides of said endless strip, said rolls having a generally cylindrical body portion, said cylindrical body portionhaving a frusto-conical rim provided thereon, saidfrusto-conicalrims of each pair of rolls cooperating to receive'the side edges of said endless strip, means for advancing said opposed pairs of rolls toward-each-other, said frusto-conical rims of each pairof rolls Wedginglyengagingthe side edges of said endless strip assaid pairs of rolls are moved into contact with said endless strip, said cylindrical body portions providing the solemeans for supporting said sheet of material prior to engagement by said frustoconical rims.

4. A machine for feeding endlessstrip material comprising a pair ofhorizontally disposed rolls, support means for rotatably mounting. said rolls, guide shafts for rotating and guiding said rolls, means on said pair of rolls adapted to engagethe side edges of said endless strip, each of said guide shafts being journalled for rotation in suitable bearing boxes, said bearing boxes being provided with grooved sideedges, each of said bearing boxes supported between a pair of vertically extending guide pins, said guide pins provided with half-round sections, said half round sectionsnormally disposed within said grooved side edges, frame means rotatably supporting the upper and lower ends of saidguide pins, whereby rotation of said guide pins remove said half-round sections from said grooved side edges of said bearing boxes and permits endwise removal of said bearing boxes from said guide shaft.

5. A machine for feeding endless strip material comprising horizontally disposed rolls, guide shafts for rotating and guiding said rolls, means on said rolls adapted to engage the side edges -of;said endless strip, each of saidguide shafts rotatably mounted -in suitable bearing boxes, each of said bearing boxes supported between vertically disposed guide pins, said guide pins provided with cut-out portions, said guide .pins supported for rotation at their upper and lower ends, rotation of said guide pins releasing saidbearing boxes and permitting said bearing boxes to be removedqendwisefrom said guide shafts.

6.1 A machine for feeding endless strip, comprising pairs of opposed rolls, each roll having a strip edge engaging portion, and connecting means operatively connecting together said ,rolls with:the roll pairs being positioned at opposite sides of said endless strip with pairs aligned transversely to said strip being in feeding enedge engaging portion, and connecting means operatively,

connecting together said rolls and said shafts with the roll pairs being positioned at opposite sides of said endless strip, said connecting means including a driving means for simultaneously rotating all of said rolls and said shafts, said connecting means including adjusting means for moving said strip edge engageable portions axially along said shafts into wedging strip edge engagements during roll driving rotation.

8. A machine for feeding endless strip, comprising pairs of opposed rolls, each roll having afrusto-conical strip edge engaging portion, and connecting-means operatively connecting together saidrolls with the roll pairs being positionedat opp osite sides of said .endless strip,

said connecting means including-a driving means for simultaneously rotating all of said rolls, said connecting means including adjusting means for simultaneously moving said frusto-conical strip edge'engagea'ble portions into vwedging strip edge engagements during:roll driv ing rotation.

9. A machine for feeding endless strip, comprising pairs of. opposed rolls, each roll having a strip edge engaging portion, and connecting means operatively connecting together said rolls with the roll pairs being positioned at opposite sidesofsaid endless strip, said connectingmeans including a driving means for. simultaneously rotating allof said rolls with each pair rotating about a separate axis, said connecting means including adjusting means for moving. said'stripedge engageable portionsaxially into strip edge engagements during roll. driving rotation,.said. adjustable means including an adjustable screw shaft having-its axis laterally spaced from the axis of each roll pair.

10. Awmachine for feedingendless strip, comprising parallel shafts between which the strippasses, a pair of opposed rollslomeach shaft, each' rollhaving astrip edge engaging portion, and .connecting means operatively connecting together saidgrolls and saidshafts with the roll pairs being positioned at opposite sides of said endless strip, said, connectingmeans including a driving means for simultaneously rotating all of said rolls. and said shafts, said connecting meansincluding adjusting means for moving saidstrip ,edge engageable'portions axially along said shafts into strip edge. engagements during. roll driving rotation, said connecting means including a keyed connection between; each roll audits associatedeshaft permitting relativeaxial movementtherebetween but preventing relative rotational movement therebetween.

11. A machine for. feeding. endless; strip, comprising a frame, parallel shafts betweenwhich the strip passes, a pair of opposed rolls, oneach shaft, each roll having a strip edgeengaging po1tion,.and connectingmeans operatively connectingtogether, saidrolls and said shafts with the roll pairs being positionedat opposite sides of saidendless strip, said connecting means including a driving meansv for simultaneously rotatingall of said rolls and said shafts with each rollspair and its shaft rotating about a separate axis, said'connecting means including adjusting means for moving said strip edge engageableportions axially along said shafts into. strip edge engagements during roll driving rotation, said adjustable means including an adjustable, screw shaft having its axis laterally spacedfrom said roll shafts, said connecting means including a keyed connection between each roll and its associated shaft permitting relative axial movement therebetween but preventing relative rotational movement therebetween.

12. A machine for feeding endless strip, comprising pairs of opposedrolls, each roll having a strip edge engaging portion, and connecting means operatively connecting together said rollswith the opposed roll pairs being positioned at opposite sides of said endless strip, said connecting means including a driving means for simultaneously rotating all of said-rolls, said connecting means including adjusting means for moving said strip edge engageable portions into strip edge engagements during roll driving rotation, said connecting means including means for simultaneously moving all of said rolls in a direction transverse to the axes of\rotation of said rolls.

13. A machine for feeding endless strip, comprising a frame, parallel shafts between which the strip passes, a pair of opposed rolls on each shaft, each roll'having a frusto-conical strip edge engaging portion, and connecting means operatively connecting together said rolls,'said shafts and said frame with the opposed roll pairs being positioned at opposite sides ofsaid endless strip; said connecting means including a driving'means for simultaneously rotating all of said rolls and said shafts, said connecting means including adjusting means for simultaneously moving said frusto-conical strip edge engageable portions axially along said shafts relative to said frame into strip edge engagements during roll driving rotation, said adjustable means including an adjustable screw shaft fixed against axial movements relative to said frame and having its axis laterally spaced from said roll shafts, said connecting means including a keyed connection between each roll and its associated shaft permitting relative axial movement therebetween but preventing relative rotational movement therebetween, said connecting means including means for simultaneously moving all of said shafts relative to said frame in a direction transverse to said roll shafts.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Upham June 8, 1915 Buccicone Feb. 23, 1937 Rice Mar. 24, 1953 Kl-opfenstein June 30, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland Jan. 2, 1939 Germany Jan. 28, 1943 

